For the second year in a row Durham Farmers' Market hosted the competition that features freshly homemade salsas prepared with ingredients bought directly from any of the Seacoast Grower's Association farmers' markets.

Salsa makers dropped off their homemade concoctions at the start of the market and samples were dished out at the tasting booth. Chips were provided and everyone wanted a taste, so participants had been urged to make enough to go around.

“I got six bags of chips. The lady who did it last year said she only used three,” said Market Manager Krysti Battistelli, who was running low on scoop tortilla chips with an hour of hungry taste-testers still expected.

This year there were nine different bowls of salsa to sample from. The entries featured the super spicy and the surprisingly sweet. Nine salsas were entered by farmers of the market and one customer who visits the market every week.

“There are so many scrumptious possibilities and so many taste buds there is something for everyone at this market,” said Battistelli. “Like the market isn't fun enough on its own, meeting lots of interesting people and tasting delicious food grown and prepared from the locals sounded like a fun approach.”

One of the local famers who participates in the market, Davyanne Moriarty, proposed the idea for the competition last year.

“It's a great way to connect the community with the market in a more deeply interactive way,” said Seacoast Growers Association PR Director Dyanna Smith. “It challenges everyone to be creative with it and to come together to share ideas and celebrate together.”

Creativity was evident in the array of salsas with an abundance of different colors, textures, and tastes.

“You can taste how fresh each one is,” said market customer Craig Stevens of Durham, who was having a hard time choosing his favorite. “I think one has peach in it and it's pretty darn good. I would never have thought to put peach in it. I think another has green olives. I never would have thought of that either.”

Although none of the participants printed off recipes to leave with their creations, some of the additional ingredients tasted included cilantro, roasted eggplant, garlic, and jalapeņo.

According to Battistelli, the turnout last year was great and this year was no different. The competition is a way to raise awareness about the market and alert the public to fresh produce that is in season at this time of year.

Everyone could vote, even the salsa makers. Kids took their turns sampling each salsa in the line, but often avoided the spiciest at their parents' warning.

Meaghan Page of Cracked An Egg Farm in Barrington had created a variation of a couple different salsa recipes that resulted in one of the spiciest. Her salsa ran out early, however, so market guests didn't have as much of an opportunity to try or vote for it.

“I think mine was the best,” she said.

As the market neared its close, the secretive vote tallying began. Up for grabs was a large collection of market goodies, donated by the farmers, which would go to the winner.

At 6 p.m. on the dot Battistelli rang her bells and asked for everyone's attention as she announced the much-anticipated winner. Sneaking by with three more votes than Meghan Boucher of Coppal House Farm, Route 155, Lee, was Steven Haendler of Mildred's Drumlin Farm, 314 Lee Hook Road, Lee.

“I'm thrilled,” Haendler said of his win. His salsa was the favorite among youngsters and the smoothest in texture of all the options.

“I spent about three hours on it,” he said. “Almost all of the ingredients came from my farm, except the lime juice and the cumin powder.”

Haendler's exact recipe will be printed in the next Seacoast Grower's Association newsletter, but he did share that it was made with cherry tomatoes, garlic, jalapeņos, red onion, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and cumin. “I roasted it for two hours,” he added.

For those looking to get an early start on next year's competition, the ingredients are in season and the market offers everything necessary to make homemade salsas in addition to locally raised meats, prepared foods and crafts.

Seacoast Grower's Association holds markets in Durham, Newington, Dover, Exeter and Portsmouth. The Durham Farmers' Market is hosted in the Town Hall parking lot every Monday from 2:15 to 6 p.m.